The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-17

that was right before.
"Hc was an ugly-looking customer,
big and brawny, with flat, Scandira-
Wan face, and carried II Winchester on
his arm. had little stick that I
slipped into the windlass handle near
the axle, to keep it from turning back
ward, and, leaving the bucket just
where it was, suspended half way up,
I started toward the cabin to get my
arms. He covered me with his repeat
ing rifle and ordered me to halt.
"'What are you doing on my CLAMP
he said.
~ reckon you can see,' replied,
putting rs good face on it as posi-
bly, could.
"'You mean you jumped Il, you
cursed thief!
"'No, don't. There wasn't enough
work on it to hold it, and it was as
much mine as anybody's.'
"'You lie!'
"He looked at mo over the sights
with his wicked grcenish eyes for full
Il minute. Then he said
"'Did you ever prayP'
"'Yes.' faltered.
"'Then pray now. Ill give you two
minutes to do it,
"By that time my mind was clear
enough to take in the whole situation,
and had no doubt but he intended to
murder me then and there. With me
out of the way there would be no one
to testify to the insufficient work, and
would simply be regarded-if the
story of my death was ever told-as a
claim-jumper who had been justly dealt
with. felt my knees begin to tren-
ble, and tried another rock
eff you kill me-, said, my partner
will be back and sec that you hang for
| it,
"'Tll fix your partner the same
way. You claim-jumping cur
"True enough. Nothing could be
easier than to assassinate Burke on his
return, and we had so jealously guarded
the secret Of our trip that no one would
know where to search for us. We
would simply disappear, as hundreds
of prospectors do, never to be seen by
men again, and speedily to be forgot
ten. had no hope of mercy from the
instant looked into that mans cruel
face. felt, with sickening qualm
and wild drumming in my ears, that
my time had come.
"'Oh! for Heavens sake. don't mur-
der met I cried. Il will GO
1.-The man made no reply. For a mo-
ment my head swan, and then, with a
sudden return of vision that was excru-
ciating in its clearness, 1 saw him stoop
slightly, rest the gun-barrel over the
windlass-handle, and marked even that
slight contraction of the eyelid that
always just precedes shot. The next
instant there was crash, an explosion
and e cry, all mingled into one. J. Isaw
the man turning head over heels down
the embankment, the Winchester flying
through the air, and all the while heard
loud, monotonous whirring noise that
was like some gigantic clock running
down.
"Idid not realize it at the time, but
this is what had happened: When he
rested his gun across the windlass he
dropped the barrel right against the
little stick had thrust in to prevent 1t
turning, and knocked it out. 1 sup
pose the bucket of ore weighed $50
pounds, and the great iron handle,
swinging clear around, gained such
terrific momentum that when it struck
him full in the face, which it did, ii
lifted him off his feet like cannon
ball. The gun was discharged by the
shock, but the bullet went nowhere
near me. Before regained my senses
I heard the bucket strike the bottom
with smash.
"When picked up the man he wa,
unconscious, but moaning q little, and
blood was trickling out OF his ears
His gnn was broken. He lay at the
cabin for week or two, and after
Charley got back we managed to gel
him to Silver City. There the doctors
put his face in a sort of plaster-of.
paris cast, but, although the wound
healed, he was out of his head, and
eventually died. The night before he
passed away he motioned for a little slate
he used to write on-for he couldn't
speak. He was very weak, and it took
nim long time, but at last he scrawled
"'Who hit me?'
"Before they could tell him he tainted
sway. The miner o, the mine
'pinched out after while and disap-
pointed us. l sold my interest to
Burke, and think after working 1t fol
a year he gave upin disgust and moved
away."-El Paso Iaster-Republics.